New advisor appointed to help with dysfunction at Kamloops city hall

The province hired a new advisor to help with the "dysfunction and discord" at Kamloops city council earlier this month. Former Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun is expected to remain in the role until June, according to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. He's the second person to be appointed to the job. City council asked the ministry for help mediating its "dysfunction and discord," Coun. Margot Middleton said last fall. Peter Fassbender, the former mayor of Langley and former MLA, was previously appointed to the role with a report expected by April. The ministry simply said it was going in a "different direction" when he was ousted in December. Braun's report at the end of his contract will likely include recommendations aimed at helping council work together, but it won't be enforceable.  Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson said he hasn't been told why Fassbender was fired, but he said he's not concerned. Instead, he's looking forward to working with Braun. "It's not going to cost (city) taxpayers money, not like the other code of conduct investigations," he said. "So I think it's great." To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry mailto:llandry@infonews.ca  or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .